Friday, 28 February 2014

LUKE: My brother is my family. At least the only family that matters. We’re pretty damn close. Ross has always been there for me and as tough as it is sometimes to give up the things I care about, I’ll do it if it makes him happy. You can ask for better family than that guy. Just be sure to ask me about him on a good day.

What’s your favorite group or artist?

LUKE: Nirvana. I’m into Queen and Johnny Cash too.

In the morning are you perky or a terror?

LUKE: Neither. My mornings are pretty predictable, so I’ve kind of just learned to roll with them. You’ll find me getting on with my day just like a normally do. It starts with rolling a random chick, who’s not even mine, out of my bed and ends with me holing up in my room and shutting out the noise from one of my brother’s parties.

What one word best describes you?

LUKE: Hermit

Are an introvert or an extravert?

LUKE: I haven’t talked to most of my friends since high school. When I was younger, I guess you could say I was an extravert. I mean, I had fun. But after that whole mess with my parents, I kind of stayed away from parties and, well, people in general. I still had my boys, but things were different. We did our own thing and left the rest of the world alone.

Since I started college, I’ve mostly been an introvert, but I guess now that I’m headed out on tour I’ll have no choice but to start interacting with the masses. Plus, being on a bus for three-months straight with four other people, including a hot chick who’s determined to get my attention, isn’t much of a place to continue my stint as the shy guy.

What is something people would be surprised to know about you?

LUKE: I want a quiet life. I play in a band and those guys can get pretty rowdy, but I’m the complete opposite. My dream isn’t the record deal and night after night of partying. It’s a boring job, living in the suburbs and being half-normal.

Shannon and Sheila Carlson have been best friends for life. Shannon's had her days of rebellion and is ready to settle down and get serious. But Sheila is just getting started. They'd do anything for each other. Until the Spring of 1991 rolls around and they both fall for the same guy.

Luke Black is a closeted musician, ripped from his boring life as a college student and thrown into the rocker lifestyle by his older brother, Roscoe. Before he knows it, their band is on the fast track to becoming an international sensation. Studios withdrawn Luke, doesn’t want any part of it, until he meets a groupie who proves to be much more. Luke soon finds he can’t resist her, but not until after he’s unknowingly fallen for her sister.

Between these two women, he feels complete. They both satisfy a piece of him but eventually he'll have to choose one—and not without some hearts breaking along the way.

Because of Luke is a bittersweet New Adult romance, topped with music, love and sibling rivalry.

** This book contains explicit sex scenes, profanity, and drug use and is intended for individuals 18+ **

Source: Info in the About Because Of Luke was from the press kit from the publicity team.

Excerpt:

“Hey.” She tilts my head up to look at her, but the blue eyes aren’t helping. They’re only reminding me of what I left behind. “Hey,” she says a little louder this time. “You can do this. Remember what I told you back at that show in Lewiston?”

Now she wants me to recall days gone by? I can’t even remember my fucking middle name.

“You’re the talent,” she says with as much conviction as if she was telling me that boys have penises and girls have vaginas.

And as if that’s exactly what she’d just said, I laugh.

She frowns in response. “I’m serious. You’re a genius on that thing.” She nods toward my guitar. “Roscoe’s got a great voice, Dash and Ryan tear it up on the drums and keyboard, but you? With the bass and the voice? You’re,” she drops her voice to a whisper. “One day you’re going to be what they come to see. You’re amazing, Luke. Don’t forget it.”

She stands up, offering me a hand. For whatever reason, her pep talk seems to have worked. My breathing is back to normal and I can feel my fingers again. I take her hand, rising to my feet, but don’t say anything.

“What are you guys singing tonight?” she asks, even though I’m sure she already knows.

“The first song we wrote,” I reply. “Ross and I.”

“In Peace, right?” She grins and I can’t help but smile back. “That’s a good one.”

I nod. It is. If it weren’t for that song, performing it that night at Chagrin’s, we might not even be here. We wouldn’t be.

Sheila must sense this, because before my legs can give out on me or my hands can start shaking again, she’s up on her tiptoes pulling me toward her. When her lips cover mine, everything stops. My thoughts, my fears, my mini-freak out halts in place and all I can think about or feel is her soft mouth on mine. There’s no tongue at first. She just presses herself to me so hard I can’t help but give in. Then I start kissing her back. Not because I’m turned on or feel anything toward her at all, but because for whatever reason, it makes me feel like I’m in control of something again. Even though she’s the one doing all the work.

Her hands cup around the back of my neck, they move through my hair, grazing my scalp. Her tongue pries its way past my teeth to stroke my own and I welcome it. Before I know it, we’re full on making out, everything that clouded my mind before not even a memory.

It isn’t until I hear Roscoe yell, “thirty seconds!” that she pulls away and wipes her lips with the back of her hand.

“Better?” she asks.

I nod.

“Ready?”

“As I’ll ever be.”

Meet The Author

About F.X. Scully:

F.X. Scully loves romance, but she doesn't write your typical Happily Ever After. Because let's face it, in the real world, it can sometimes take a lot of angst and pain before you get there. And some of us never do. But since most of us pick up books to escape the real world, her stories don't lack hot boyfriends and sexy encounters. Neither will she leave you completely heart broken, sobbing into a tub of ice cream. Rest assured you'll be on a roller coaster, but you'll be glad you went along for the ride.

F.X. is the author of TWO THOUSAND 3 (November 2013) and BECAUSE OF LUKE (February 2014).